Google removes publisher’s 21 trojan-laced apps from Android Market

Apple fans get to have a little snicker here. One of the great strengths that Mac platforms offer over Windows PC platforms is their relatively infallibility when it comes to the dangers presented by the modern-day computer virus. It turns out that Google’s Android OS is a likely target for malicious programmers as well. Publisher Myournet has been removed from the Android Market by Google, along with its 21 apps that were a malicious trojan horse, Android Police reports.

Myournet actually took pre-existing apps from other developers, inserted the dangerous code and then repurposed those apps as its own releases. The pesky malware is actually rather dangerous, a root exploit that is able to steal all of the infected device’s data and even download more code for causing further mischief.

To its credit, Google reacted quickly and decisively upon learning the news. Android Police learned of the trojan from Reddit user lompolo. They alerted Google after verifying the claim and reported that the offending apps were pulled from the Android Market in less than five minutes.

Unfortunately, it was only quick enough to halt the further proliferation of Myournet’s attack. The 21 apps were popular ones, with more than 50,000 downloads overall. That same number of people now also have a deeply embedded trojan horse to contend with, though Android Police notes that plans are already in motion to develop a fix.

This is the tradeoff of offering an app marketplace with a less restrictive set of product guidelines. Apple’s draconian verification process for the App Store means you get less, but you worry less. That doesn’t mean it’s the best approach, but Android Marketplace users will certainly want to be more careful about what they download moving forward.